


When We First Met

by domo (aroceu)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-14
Updated: 2009-08-14
Packaged: 2017-10-28 08:43:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroceu/pseuds/domo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko and Sokka reflect on the war and romance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When We First Met

“I’m kind of sad that the war is over.” Sokka looked over the Fire Nation temple, where all the nations were conversing and enjoying themselves together. Beside him, Zuko looked over at him with a very surprised look.

“Why are you sad? This war is probably the worst thing that’s ever happened!” he exclaimed, astonished at Sokka’s words. Sokka sighed.

“Yeah, but now there’s no more excitement,” he said. “And there’s no one to fight anymore. At least during the war I felt like I actually had a  _part_  in the world. Now there’s for me to do anymore. You’re the Fire Lord, Aang’s the Avatar, Katara’s a waterbender in general so that already makes her cool, Suki’s a Kyoshi warrior, and Toph’s like the earthbending master. What am I?”

“You’re the guy with the boomerang,” Zuko said in hope of amusement. Sokka shot him a look.

“Very funny. That doesn’t help me at all.” He flung his hands down to the people below him. “I mean, look at all those people. I’m just a kid warrior.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who lead that entire siege on the Fire Lord, you basically lead the entire war! You’re a hero!” Zuko encouraged, turning to him.

“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” sighed Sokka not-so modestly. But then his happiness turned down as he added, “But that was  _during_  the war. What am I gonna do now?”

Zuko didn’t have an answer, as the two of them looked over the balcony, observing the people below them. It had been only a week after the war, and already everyone was having a great time with relief. A few moments passed, before Sokka heard a chuckle beside him and then Zuko asked,

“Do you remember when we first met?”

“Yeah. It was on your Fire Nation ship, wasn’t it?” Sokka replied, thinking and then chuckling a bit to himself as well. Zuko shook his head, with a little smile on his face.

“Actually, it was when I invaded your village,” he responded with an amused tone. “You came running at me with your staff and I knocked you off the dock.”

“Thanks a lot,” Sokka said sarcastically, but Zuko could tell that there was a smile in his voice too. “Then what happened?’

“Then you kept trying to attack me but I kept blowing you off,” Zuko grinned.

“Yeah, but didn’t I hit you with my boomerang? You looked so stunned,” Sokka snorted. “You should have seen the look on your face.”

“Shut up. I still beat you,” Zuko said smugly, before the smile faded from his face and then he said, “I was such an ignorant person back then. I only focused on getting my honor back from my father. I never thought about getting my honor back from the rest of the world.”

“Yeah, but you paid it off, didn’t you? You joined Team Avatar and taught Aang firebending! And you stopped your evil witch of a sister to the point where she went insane! Don’t you think you’ve paid your debts well enough?”

“Barely,” Zuko spat. “I spent months hunting the Avatar, nearly killed you all, did so many things that it was a surprise you guys forgave me in such a small amount of time. And still I wonder if I did enough.”

“Listen.” Sokka turned to look at Zuko in the eyes. “You couldn’t have done anymore. You told us about the plan, you helped Aang master firebending, you helped Katara take revenge on the person who killed our mother, and you helped me rescue my father. You did more than enough.”

“Yeah, but…” Zuko looked down. But then he glanced over at Sokka and forced a smile. “So anyways. Tell me all about you and Suki.”

“Oh, she hated me when we first met.” Sokka’s face broke out into a grin.

“Kind of like me, huh?” Zuko smirked. Sokka rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, but at least Suki was on the right side,” he replied. “But then I wanted to learn the Kyoshi warrior ways from her and her warriors, so then I went over to her and, well, for lack of better words, begged her to teach me. So she did.”

“Ha. I remember you in the Kyoshi warrior outfit.” Zuko smiled at the memory. “You looked pretty. For a girl.”

“Oh, er, thanks,” Sokka blushed, scratching behind his head nervously. “What about you and Mai?”

“We’re really…close,” Zuko smiled even more. “The way you and everyone else sees her, she’s definitely not that way when she’s around me. She’s special.”

“That’s nice,” Sokka smiled back. “I really don’t see how romance plays a part in this war. I mean, me and Suki, you and Mai, Katara and Aang? I mean, out of all honestly, if I thought Katara was going to be with anyone, it would have been with you.”

“Sorry Sokka, but Katara…she’s definitely not my type.” Zuko crinkled his nose.

Sokka grinned. “I didn’t think so. But I guess I am, right? Since I supposed I did look pretty attractive in that Kyoshi warrior dress.”

“That’s for sure,” Zuko teased sarcastically, but smiled at Sokka genuinely. “I don’t think anything has changed between us, even if it’s changed everybody else.”

“What are you talking about? You completely switched from being my enemy to being my friend,” Sokka said, rising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, but at least I can still beat you in battles,” Zuko smirked.

“Hey! Is that a challenge? You’re on!” Sokka raised his fists in defiance, but Zuko took his hand and put it down.

“Let’s just try to keep things nice between us, okay?” he said, and Sokka broke back into a smile. He took his hand, and together, the two of them watched the world as it settled into peacefulness once again.


End file.
